Electric light bulb



June 1, 1938 E. 1. cLEMENcEg ,1 7

ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB Original Filed Oct. 1, 1955 INVENTORZ EZZioZZ Z CZemence.

Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB ElliotirI. Clenience, Millburn,;N: J.'

Original application October 1, 1935, Serial No. 43,047, Divide'dandthis application March 5,1937, Serial No; 129,153

7 Claims: (o1. 176 42) 4, Figs. 3rand4,and as viewed in Figs. 1 and :2,

The present improvementrelates to electric light-bulbs,'and is especially'adapted' for use on miniature light bulbs.

The improvement comprises" improved termi nal cont-acts betweenthe inner' filament and "the outer-conductor members? This application is divided out of my pending application Serial #43,04-7, filed Oct. 1, 1935, for Improvements in miniature lamps and support clip attachments therefor.

The present bulb is somade as to increase the contact area of the exterior socket engaging, conductor terminal members. As miniature bulbs are made in current practice, the bulb and its socket are made of glass and the filament supporting conductors are led out through the walls of the socket portion and then bent straight upwardly along the sides of the bulb and then are suitably connected at the outer ends of the conductor supports.

These support terminals are usually made of round wire and when the tube is mounted in its bulb holding socket, the area of cont-act of the terminals is extremely slight.

In the present instance, these exterior ends are given an increased contact area by convoluting the conductor contact ends along the sides of the socket end of the bulbs.

Modifications may be made in the structure herein disclosed without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of the present improvement with parts sectioned;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 also partially sectioned;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44, Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

In this drawing the views are enlarged to better show the appurtenant parts.

As in Fig. 2, the bulb, generally denoted by I, comprises an upper globular portion B, a lower socket portion S, both integrally joined by a constricted neck portion N. The bulb is made of glass and is completely hollow, and has no ferrule, the walls thereof being of suitable thickness. The lower socket portion is provided with extending round edged flanges 2--2, Figs. 3 and 4, to act as socket and terminal contact positioning guides.

The filament F, Figs. 1 and 2 is operatively supported by and between two spaced conductor supports T-T, and they extend through the bore theyextend' downwardly and pass outwardly" throughthe opposed faces 3, near-the bottom-of bore"4.'and .between the guides 2-2,"to 'theex? terior of "the socket, insealed connections 5'-5 with said socket extension walls."

The outer ends C-C of the terminal contacts, as will be seen in Fig. 2, are convoluted in a series of loops, upwardly and terminate in straight ends E--E, which are then caught and held at the waist or neck portion N, by a surrounding tubular ring which may be made of a flexible dielectric or insulating paper P. This terminal endholding ring may be made of a long strip of such paper tightly wound about the terminal ends E by plural wrappings and the end of such strip then cemented to hold the ring and terminal ends in the desired operative positions on the waist and socket end.

Such convolutions C, as seen in'Fig. 3, are

curved slightly to conform to the substantially cylindrically faced walls between the guides 2-2, thus to insure solid seating in the light socket, not shown in full, the light socket contacts, however being shown in Figs. 1 and 4, dotted, as at 66.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the amount of contact surface, or area, of the terminal ends -0 is greatly enhanced, and does away with arcing, as sometimes occurs when only a single straight line contact round wire terminal is used.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical device comprising a glass housing including a bulb portion and a base formed with a cylindrical bore, said portion having therein a filament; lead wires connected with the filament and having parts in the bore, at least one of said parts having an end extended through the base, and convolutions formed on said end on one side of the surface of said base so as to constitute a contact. 7

2. A miniature electric light bulb comprising a glass enclosure including a bulb portion, a thick walled base, the latter being formed with a bore, said portion having therein a filament; lead wires connected with the filament and having parts passing through the bore, said parts having ends extended through the base, and convolutions provided on said ends and forming opposed longitudinal contacts on the surface of said base.

3. An electrical device comprising a glass housing including a bulb portion, a substantially cylindrical base, said portion having a filament; lead wires connected with the filament and having parts in the base, said parts having ends extended through the basewall, and convolutions provided on said ends and forming opposed'longitudinal contacts on said base, each convolution being curved to conform with the contour of said base.

4. An electrical device comprising a glass housing including a bulb portion, a substantially cylindrical base, said portion having therein a filament; lead wires connected with the filament and having parts in the base, said parts having ends extended through the base wall; convolutions formed on said ends and providing opposed longitudinal contacts on the surface'of the base, the convolutions being fitted closely to the base and curved toconform with its contour, and opposed relatively thick ridges formed on the base between the contacts.

5. An electrical device comprising a glass housing including a bulb portion and a base having a relatively thick wall; the latter being formed with a bore,.said portion having'therein a filament;

lead Wires connecting with the filament and having parts closely engaging the face of the bore,

said .parts having ends extended through said ,wall; and convolutions formed on said ends and providing opposed longitudinal contacts on the surface of the base, the convolutions being closely fitted against the wall opposite said parts.

6. An electrical device comprising a glass housing including a bulb portion, a base portion, a

constricted neck between said portions; a filament in the bulb portion, lead wires connected with the filament and having terminals passed through the wall of the base portion; convolutions formed on said terminals and providing longitudinal contacts on the surface of'the base portion, said terminals having ends extended therefrom, and

the base, said parts being passed through the wall of the base and having external portions canvoluted throughout their length, said portions. 'being closely engaged against oppositersides of the outer surfaceof said base and fo'rming longietudinal contacts, and dielectric means engagedaround said neck and permanently holding the Y ends of said convoluted portions thereon. V ELLIOTT I. CLEMENCE. 

